Not what they seem
by Piercex
Summary: Elisa Sparrow is fierce and determined, and life as a six has made her even more so. But when she is chosen for The Selection with her sister, she is unprepared for the surprises that await her. The prince is an not what he seems, and some of the girls will do anything to get what they want.
1. Chapter 1

The Selection

Chapter one

Mom glared at me from underneath her thick glasses. 'It would be good for the family, Elisa' she said to me. I slumped back in my chair in defeat 'I know! But I don't want to be a stuck up prince's plaything, mom!' I said, looking out the window. It was a cold and gloomy day with a light rain. Mom sighed 'but if you got picked, the family would receive money! And we need that now, because we can barely afford to pay the electricity, never mind feed you and Ava.' Ava is my sister who turned sixteen the same day as me. We're fraternal twins, so we don't look alike. She had sent her letter yesterday and I was sure that she would get picked because she was so pretty. She had Blonde hair and blue eyes. I had dark brown hair and emerald green eyes. No resemblance whatsoever. I nodded and scrubbed hand over my face 'fine, I'll do it but what if I don't get picked and neither does Ava?' I said standing up. Mom shrugged 'I'll just have to work extra at the restaurant' she said. I could see the bags under her eyes from working so much in the kitchens and staying up late. 'No mom, I will' I said. She laughed 'c'mon girl, you burn water' she said standing up 'now go find that envelope, we have a lot to fill out.' I rushed up the stairs and into my room, where I had hidden the letter under my mattress. I sadly pulled it out. I didn't want to be in the selection, or have any part in it. But unsurprisingly, Ava did. The envelope was slightly wrinkled and torn at the side from where it got snagged on a spring. I walked slowly back down the stairs, hoping to delay the time between when I filled out that wretched form. Mom waited impatiently by the stairs, tapping her foot. 'Mom, I was gone for what, sixty seconds?' I said mockingly 'you really are impatient, just like Ava.' Mom rolled her eyes at this statement and pulled out a old ball pen. 'Here' she said, holding out the pen 'write' she ordered me. She pushed me in the chair and hovered expectantly at my shoulder. It was straightforward. I filled in my name, age, caste, and contact information. I had to put my height and weight, hair, eye, and skin color, too. I could only speak two languages, English and French. Mostly because my mom was somewhat French and she insisted we learn it. Under special skills, I listed waitressing and cooking. Yeah, like I was going to get in, I'd be gone the first day. 'Do you think that I should add annoying people as a special skill?' I asked mom. Ava walked in. 'oh look, she's finally filling in the form. Make sure he can actually read it' she said, tossing her pale blonde hair over her shoulder. Mom was oblivious to this, as she was staring at my paper. She seemed to glow with happiness as I finished the form. I looked back out the window at the gloomy day 'I so don't want to go outside, mom' I said heaving myself out of the chair. Mom tsked 'then go put on some warm clothing' she said, walking out of the room. I sighed and went back up the stairs into my room. My room was small with light green walls. It had a small window on the left side, giving me a clear view of a tree. A small bed was cramped in the corner, and an even smaller dresser took up almost all of the room left. I made my way to that small dresser and pulled out an old faded pair of black jeans and a grey long sleeve shirt. After I put those on, I pulled on a pair of fuzzy socks and stood up. I looked in a smallish mirror I had hung up on my wall and saw a pale girl with dark brown hair and emerald eyes staring back. 'you look horrible' I said to my reflection. I nodded. I walked out of my room, casting one last wistful look over my shoulder, thinking I should have stayed in bed.


	2. Chapter 2

The Selection

Chapter 2

The walk to the post office was not an enjoyable one. There were puddles and it was damn cold. Once we got there, I realized just how long a wait it was going to be. A line stretched for at least three blocks and we were going to have to wait for at least a half hour. I stood between mom and Ava, surveying the crowd. There were lots of girls, big, small, tiny, and tall. One girl ahead of us had so much makeup on, you could barely see her face, and another had boobs that dared you to try to ignore them. I could feel mom fidgeting beside me so I elbowed her 'calm down mom, you're really getting on my last nerve' I said. She finally stopped moving and I saw a familiar face in the crowd. I waved him over. Mason Croft, a four, and my best friend since we were in diapers, walked over to us. 'Hey Elisa, what happened to not being a prince's plaything?' he said jokingly. I lightly punched him in the arm 'shut up, I'm only doing it for the money, you know, so we don't starve?' I said, rolling my eyes. Mom sighed irritably 'at least try if you get picked, Elisa.' Mason laughed 'why aren't you dressed up?' he said. I frowned 'dressed up? Why?' His eyes widened 'don't you know? They're taking pictures.' Of course, how could I be so stupid? Mom looked like she was considering taking me back home to change, since it was obvious that I was at a disadvantage. I didn't care. Mason and I started looking at the crowds, laughing when we saw somebody that looked funny, like a girl a few yards back who was sporting an intricate bun on top of her head that looked like a shark. But hey, if the prince likes those kind of things, who am I to judge him? Finally, we were at the top of the line, second to go. Mason tugged my arm 'hey Elisa? Good luck, I have to go help my dad, see you later' he said. I nodded 'okay, bye' I said, smiling. He turned and weaved his way through the crowd, disappearing from my sight. Mom pulled me up to the window and signed to confirm that everything was in order, and sat me down to take my picture. I smiled. It was a small smile, but a smile nonetheless.


	3. Chapter 3

The Selection

Chapter 3

It turns out that we put my form in on the last day. Mom was relieved that we got it in on time. So was I, though I don't know why. I went to bed excited; thinking tomorrow was when they were announcing the Selected.

Ava shook my shoulder. "Elisa! Wake up!" she yelled in my ear. I sat straight up "what? What happened? Who died?" I said, looking around the room. Ava was laughing, sitting on the side of my tiny bed. I glared " . ?" I spit "I was having the best dream ever Ava!" She laughed even more "Just get ready, were going to Mason's to watch The Ilea Capitol Report soon, mom let you sleep in" she said walking out of my room. I flopped back down on my bed and stared up at the cracked ceiling. They were announcing the Selected today. That thought motivated me to get up. Grumbling, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and fell onto the floor. Then I gripped the top of my dresser and heaved myself up. Glancing into the mirror, I took in my appearance. My hair was sticking up on the left side of my head, and I had pillow creases on my cheek. I sighed and picked up my brush. Wrestling with my hair was not what I wanted to do this morning.

After I changed out of my pj's and into the clothes I wore yesterday, I storm down the stairs, still upset that I was woken up. A smell hit me and I stopped. Bacon? That's definitely bacon. We've only had bacon once, and that was when we had money. I ran into the kitchen, where mom was cooking bacon on the stove. "Mom, is that bacon?" I asked her. She looked over, smiling. "Oh Elisa! Your awake, I let you sleep in. And yes, it is" she said, putting the bacon onto plates. I sat down at our small wooden table, and Ava came in. She smirks when she sees me. "Hey Elisa" she says "thought you were asleep." My blood boils at this quip and I give her a smile in return. "Oh yeah, I was. Until somebody decided to yell in my ear" I say, and picked up a fork and twirled it menacingly. She shrugged "okay, whatever, just don't get mad at me' she says. I finish eating my bacon and walk into our oh-so-tiny living room. Yeah turning out to be a great day! A couple minutes later mom popped her head in the doorway "hey sweetie? We're going to Mason's now" she says. I heave myself up from the chair and walked towards the door, where I pull on my boots and coat. Ava skipped down the stairs, positively happy. "Okay, I'm ready. Let's go" she says putting on her coat. Mom opens the door and a blast of cold December air drifts in. I shiver and hurry down the street towards Mason's house. He has a big house. It's got plenty of windows, a huge living room, and three floors. His parents are jewelers and real estate agents, so he always gets whatever he wants. He's not spoiled of course, just…Spoiled. Mom knocks on the door and Mrs. Croft flung open the door. "Cherise! You're here! Come in, come in" she says, ushering us inside. We enter the foyer (which is huge) and take off our stuff. 'Hi Mrs. Croft' I say, enveloping her in a hug. She smells like fresh basil and honey. Anna, Mason's little sister, ran in. "Ava! Elisa! Come on!" she said, grabbing our hands and tugged us into their living room. She sandwiched me between her and Mason. "Hey" he whispered. "Hi" I said back. But my attention is now fixed on their TV. The anthem comes on and a picture of the royal family comes up. The queen is radiant, blonde hair and a glowing smile, the king looks slightly less excited, as if he was wishing he was doing something else. The prince looks mysterious, brooding if anything. The picture disappears and Gavril Fadaye saunters onstage. "Goood evening Ilea! Tonight we're going to announce the Selected!" he sang 'but first, I'm going to get a few words in from, the only, Prince Rowan!" Rowan walks onstage. Like his father, he looks like he wishes he was elsewhere. He sits down beside Gavril and Gavril holds out his hand "nice to see you again, your highness" he says. He shakes Gavril's hand "the pleasure is all mine" he said. Gavril smiles at him "so your majesty, have you seen any of the girls yet?" he asks. Rowan shrugs "a couple" He seems to be a man of so few words. Gavril claps him on the shoulder "any words for the Selected?" he says. Rowan looks directly at the camera, and I feel like he's staring right at me. "Be prepared for your last day as an average girl." That's it. Ten words? I shake my head. The camera pans back to Gavril, who has a set of cards in his hands, ready to read out the names of the girls.

"Miss Jessica Darling of Allens, two'

A picture of a red haired girl with a seductive smile comes up

Rowan's face stays the same

"Miss Mackenzie Luca of Belcourt, four"

A girl who looks very shy comes up

His face stays the same

"Miss Elisa Sparrow of Angeles, Six"

We all sit in a shocked silence

Rowan's face looks surprised, but then quickly goes back to his brooding face

"Miss Ava Sparrow of Angeles, Six"

We all start screaming

I don't see his face.

We jump up, screaming our heads off. Ava grabs me and hugs me tightly. She releases me and I hug Anna, Mason, Mrs. Croft, Mom, Mason's dad (who I've never been that close too)

When we get back home, the phone is ringing. All throughout the night it rings, and rings, and rings.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter four

The next week was a flurry of excitement. We got a visit from a woman in hysterics, who complained about her daughters not getting picked, and Ava and I getting picked. Mom had to explain to her that it wasn't our choice, and when that didn't work, she shoved the woman out the door and slammed it shut, no questions asked. A woman named Mayslee called a couple times to see if we needed anything, and an actual palace guard came to our house to give us security measures. Apparently, we didn't need to get to the palace before worrying about potential rebel attacks. Perfect. A man came to measure Ava and I for our wardrobe. I wasn't sure I would like wearing a dress; I mean I didn't even wear one to church.

I had just sat down, when a knock on the door made me stand back up. "IF THAT'S THAT WOMAN TELL HER I'LL KILL HER IF SHE STARTS WHINING AGAIN' mom yelled from the kitchen. I opened the door and a tall, skinny man stood in the doorway (Slenderman! No, jk) "I'm here to discuss some of the matters with the Selection" he said 'Is there somewhere private we can talk? With your sister and mother?" I nodded and led him to the kitchen, where mom was sitting, staring into her tea, and Ava was sitting down, head on the table. "Mom" I said. She looked up, saw the man, and jumped out of her seat. "Oh! Please take a seat!" she said pulling out two extra chairs. He sat down and opened a briefcase that I had not seen previously. He pulled out two folders, one said Elisa and the other, Ava. "Girls, this is going to sound a bit harsh, but of last Friday, you are considered property of Ilea. You must take care of your bodies from now on. I have several forms for you to fill out as we go through this information. Any failure on your part will result on your immediate removal from the Selection. Do you understand?" We both nodded. I didn't like the whole 'property of Ilea' thing, but still. "Very good, now, let's start with the easy stuff. Since you are a Six, I'll assume that you have not had access to necessary nutrition. You must take one of these." he held out small green bottle and a form that we had to sign to confirm that we'd received it. "Now please don't be shy, I've had to discuss this with every other contestant" he paused "I need confirmation that you are, in fact, a virgin." My eyes almost popped out of my head. Ew and with mom in the room. Mom spewed her tea all over the table. "Of course there virgins!" she said, wiping her mouth. I nodded as did Ava "I haven't even had a boyfriend!" I said. He nodded "please consider, if you are to be found lying…" he said. I shook my head "I'm not lying. I promise." Ava nodded her head. "All right, I'll just need you to sign this form to confirm your statement" he said, passing us two sheets of paper. It felt weird that he was handing us everything in twos. After that he said "I need to go over the rules with you. They are very straightforward, so you shouldn't have a hard time understanding, so if you have any questions just ask." Ava and I exchanged glances. "You cannot leave the palace of your own accord; you must be dismissed by the prince. The king or Queen may not make you leave; only the prince may do that. They may give the prince their opinion about you, but he makes every decision about who goes and who stays. There is no timeline set for the Selection; it may go on for a matter of days, or stretch into years." "Years?" Ava and I said at the same time. He nods "though I doubt that the prince will let it drag on for that long" he said. "You do not arrange your times with the prince. He will seek you out for one-on-one company if he wishes it. If you are in a larger social setting that is different. But you do not go to him without an invitation."While no one expects you to get along with the other girls, you are not to fight with them or sabotage them. If you are found laying hands on another contestant, causing her stress, stealing from her, or doing anything to diminish her personal relationship with the prince, it is in his hands to dismiss you. Your only romantic relationship is to be with prince Rowan. If you are found writing love notes to someone here or are caught in a relationship with someone else in the palace that is considered treason and is punishable by death. If you are caught breaking any of Ilea's written laws, you will receive the punishment tied to that offense. Your status as one of the Selected does not put you above the law. You must not wear any clothes or eat any food that isn't supplied by the palace." He finished "for each week you are at the Palace, your family will receive a check." He handed mom a check. I didn't know how much it was, but it made her eyes water. "If you make it to the top ten, you will be considered Elite. Once you make it to that status, you will learn about the inner workings of the life and obligations you would have as a princess. You are not allowed to seek out such details before that time. From now on you two are considered Threes." My mouth dropped open "A Three?" I whispered. He nodded "It's much easier for Two's and Three's to go back to their lifestyles. You two are Three's now, but the rest of your family will remain Sixes. Should you win, you and your family will become Ones." I imagined being a One sometimes. It's probably loads better than being a Six.

After he left, Ava and I dragged ourselves upstairs to bed. I was a Three. I smiled as I collapsed on the bed. A Three. Mason wouldn't believe it. I wonder what I was going to do when I got kicked out of the palace. Not if. When. I sighed and pulled my blankets over my head, disregarding my clothes. Mom always said I'd had a talent for writing. Maybe I'd do that. I closed my eyes and let the darkness I held at bay, swallow me whole.


	5. Chapter 5

The Selection

Chapter five

Today was it. Ava and I were going to the palace. We were dressed in black pants and a white shirt, with the flower of our province in our hair. Ava and I held hands as we were ushered up onto the stage in front of our province. It was against the rules to have two girls from the same province, but apparently, there was some mistake. But it was too late to take it back now. The crowds cheered for us, though some swore at us. The mayor clasped hands with both of us. He was a short, pudgy man. "Anything to say to the crowd dears?" he asked. I shook my head. I was too nervous to speak. "Ladies and gentlemen please join me in sending off Ava and Elisa Sparrow, our daughters of Ilea!" the mayor called.. Once we were down, Ava and I were crushed by mom. "Be good girls. Don't let the other girls be mean to you, and do what the prince says. I love you girls" she said, tears streaming from her eyes. Mom kissed up both on the cheeks, then I moved to Anna. She threw herself into my arms "good luck!" she said. I squeezed her "If I'm lucky, I'll probably stay for the day" I mumbled. She frowned "don't say that" she said and leaned in "but between you and me, I want you to win" she whispered. I gave her one last hug and turned to Mason. He gave me a giant hug "hey, don't let anyone bother you" he said into my hair. I nodded and pulled away "I won't, don't worry" I said. Mira, our aide, said "Lady Elisa and Ava, are you ready?" We both nodded.

We were second to the airport, and I was beyond terrified. Ava wasn't. I was absolutely terrified of the experience of flying. I would be traveling with two other Selected girls, and I felt like I was going to puke. I felt like crying. I had never been away from home before. I felt like everything had been taken away from me. My caste, my home, my friends… I wondered if anyone else was sad today. Ava wasn't she was practically bouncing in her seat. She was up at the front, talking to a girl with pale blonde hair that looked exactly like Ava. I think her name was…Amy! Amy Johnston, a Two. Amy glanced back at me and Ava and her snickered. Finally the last girl, Mackenzie Luca, bounded onboard. She had dirty brown hair and a shy smile. "Hi!" she greeted me. I smiled at her and she sat down beside me. She seemed nice enough. "Hi" I said quietly. She frowned "are you nervous? I am. I wonder what the palace is going to look like. What about you?" she said "sorry I blabber when I'm nervous." I laughed. "I'm Elisa" I said. She nodded her head "I know! And that's your sister! Normally Its against the rules to have girls from the same provinces, but I heard that's a mistake" she said energetically. I nodded slowly "yeah, but they can't take it back now, so…" I trailed off. Mackenzie looked around the plane. Ava and Amy were chatting it up like they were long lost friends. Occasionally, they would glance back and laugh, as if we were some anomaly. I stopped listening to Mackenzie's endless chatter and looked out the window. It was a endless spiral of roads and building. Clouds passed over my vision outside and I flattened myself against the seat. _Don't look down_ I told myself. _Don't look down_ Soon enough, we were at the palace.


	6. AN

Hi! Sorry I haven't updated in... A year. I've been really busy (Lame excuse, I know) but I'm moving this fan fiction to another site that I'm on a lot. Here's the link if you care anymore: story/4553428/Not-What-They-Seem/1/ 


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